March 2011 murder of trans woman Marcal Tye — unsolved and not a hate crime?

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — This trans murder in Arkansas came to my attention because of a supposed decision by the county sheriff that the murder wasn’t a hate crime. Tye was shot in the head and her body dragged for hundreds of feet on March 8, 2011 — this much appears factual after reviewing a number of news reports. Beyond that, the whole case appears thin as does the claim it was the sheriff who decided it wasn’t a hate crime. Some reports say it was the FBI who made that decision. Others said it was the Department of Justice. A few contributed it to “federal authorities”. The non-hate crime decision was apparently based on evidence that supposedly indicate that Tye was dragged by a car “accidentally”.

All this is rather unimportant now in the light that the St. Francis County sheriff still have very few clues as to who killed 24-year-old Marcal Tye. The DNA evidence found at the scene along AR Hwy 334 was not helpful according to Sheriff Bobby May. May also stated a witness may have seen the car, but again, not enough evidence to pinpoint a killer.

Discussion forums have posters making unsubstantiated and varying claims about who the killer may be, but in common is the claim that a number of trans people have been killed in that area of the state over the years.